Netflix dumps Kevin Spacey over sexual assault allegations as New York police close in on Harvey Weinstein

Netflix late on Friday dropped Kevin Spacey, whose career is in free-fall over spiralling sexual assault accusations as police gather evidence for a possible arrest warrant against Harvey Weinstein for alleged rape.

The two-time Oscar winner Spacey, for years considered one of the most gifted actors of his generation, and whose collaboration with Netflix put the streaming giant on the map, has in just days gone from esteemed actor to entertainment pariah.

Reportedly being investigated by British police for assaulting a man in London in 2008, he has been publicly accused of attempting to rape a 15-year-old boy in New York and of making advances on a 14-year-old.

Already dropped by his publicist and agent, Netflix became the latest entity to cut ties with Spacey, saying it would be involved in no further production of its hit series House of Cards that includes the 58-year-old. Production of the last and final season, which had been due to air in 2018, has already been suspended.

The streaming service also said it was abandoning the release of an upcoming film Gore that had also starred the actor, whose glittering career is now collapsing around him.